CBFC Goes Sanskari On ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ With 39 Beeps

‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ won’t be allowed to speak its language by the CBFC.

The CBFC Has the last laugh. 

Photo courtesy: Lionsgate

Even if you are Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L  Jackson the censor board in India is not going to allow you to cuss and abuse on screen. To Hollywood’s horror, Reynolds and Jackson’s fast flying f*ck-filled verbal exchanges have all been lobotomised by the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) rendering what happens to be the film’s main USP—the constant tu-tu-main-main between the two male leads—into a whittled-down wimpy polite vegetarian fare of sundar susheel dialogues.

Apparently MVP Entertainment, the film’s Indian distributors, fought tooth and nail to retain the language.

They argued that the way the two heroes spoke in The Hitman’s Bodyguard cannot be changed without damaging the film’s tempo and tenor.  But strong verbal language is  a taboo at the CBFC, which is now under Prasoon Joshi, and was previously under Pahlaj Nihalani.

A source close to the CBFC

Apparently 39  ‘f*cks’, ‘assh***s’ and ‘motherf***ers’ were ordered out.

Sunil Udhani, who helms MVP Entertainment, says that censor skirmishes are nothing new for Hollywood films.

That’s not a new thing as the censor board is doing this with most Hollywood movies because of the outdated guidelines they are following. Fortunately, <i>The </i>Hitman’s Bodyguard has a lot more substance than just the dialogues, and audiences are laughing throughout and enjoying the action scenes. So I don’t see much damage done there.

Sunil Udhani, MVP Entertainment

Even though the decision on The Hitman’s Bodyguard came from former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, the film’s certificate has been issued by its new chief Prasoon Joshi.